How We Find The Best Blow Dryers

I've always had incredibly unruly curly hair that takes a lot of effort to style. Over the many, many years that I've been dealing with it, I've learned that using the right hair tools are critical to winning the battle. What works best for me are a very hot, powerful blow dryer and a flat iron that reaches a high heat - but everyone has their own preferences - whether it's sound, weight, speed, or another factor. So when we at the Beauty Lab at the Good Houskeeeping Research Institute set out to test 20 blow dryers for our August issue, we paid attention to every detail.

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Speed We tested the blow dryers in the lab using swatches of real human hair. We measured weight of the swatches after washing and towel drying. Then we blow dried them, several times, and used a stop watch to find out how long it took for each swatch to go back to its "dry weight". Home testers also reported back on whether or not each dryer was faster than the ones they owned. Speed Demon: FHI Heat Nano Weight Pro 1900 Turbo($145)

Weight Nobody wants to stand and hold a heavy blow-dry over their head, especially if, like me, you're straightening curly hair, which can take as long as a half hour. We weighed each of our blow dryers. Bantam Weight Champ: Pro Beauty Tools Professional Lightweight Hairdryer (a bargain at just $30) and one of the best dryers overall

Noise Along with feedback from our testers, we used the Institute's Sound Meter to measure the decibel level of each dryer. Easiest on the Ears: Hot Tools Whisper Quiet Salon Turbo Ionic Dryer ($80)

Results These days, most dryers tout advanced technologies such as ionic and tourmaline that promise to leave hair looking shiny and smooth. We analyzed our swatches for glossiness and smoothness, using our Shine Cylinder in a light-controlled room and did a "feel" test for smoothness. Shining Star: FHI Heat Nano Weight Pro 1900 Turbo was a winner for providing shine as well as being speedy (see above). Smooth Operator: Hot Tools Whisper Quiet Salon Turbo Ionic Dryer ($80).